William Gay Proving Critics Wrong In 2013

When William Gay signed with the Arizona Cardinals following the 2011 season, there wasn’t a happier fan than me. I don’t disagree that Gay had a decent final season with the Steelers, I could never get image of him being repeatedly burned against the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl. That entire 2010 season it seemed like if the opposing team had a big play you would see Gay somewhere nearby. Was it a little unfair to completely look past Gay’s decent 2011 because of a poor 2010? Probably. That being said I was not thrilled to find out that the Steelers decided to bring Gay back for the 2013 season.
At this point in the season, I would say that Gay has performed really well especially considering that Cortez Allen struggled a bit to start the year. Gay made a great play against the Ravens last week after being completely burned by Jacoby Jones. Joe Flacco under threw the ball terribly which gave Gay the chance but he still timed his jump perfectly and stopped a sure touchdown. I’m not going to lie that as soon as I saw that it was Gay in coverage I thought it was a guarantee that the Ravens would get a touchdown there.

I don’t hold the lack of interceptions against him because I’m not sure any of the Steelers’ cornerbacks remember what the football looks like. The Steelers as a team only have two picks on the season anyway by Ryan Clark and Lawrence Timmons. That is something that the entire team needs to improve upon because it would help the offense immensely to actually have a short field to work with.

No matter what Gay is always going to get criticism from fans and personally I don’t think I’ll ever truly trust him in coverage. I just think Gay is what he is at this point in his career which is a serviceable third cornerback for the Steelers. I still would have much rather the team kept Keenan Lewis instead of bringing back Gay but I will admit that he has been having a solid season. There was a point in Gay’s career that I thought that even I could burn him for a touchdown and if you went solely on this season you would think that statement was completely foolish.

I’m very glad to admit that I was wrong, at least at this point in the 2013 season, about William Gay because in the end it’s about the team. Gay has not been a detriment to the Steelers’ defense this year and he is well on his way to proving his critics, mainly myself, wrong about his play.

2 comments

charles maftin

Milliken Steeler

I agree. If he goes up against a blazer and doesn’t jam him at the line he gets into trouble. I dont care if he plays five or ten yards off, when a speedster comes at him at full song I have noticed the lack of top end speed is his issue and they sail right past him.

So we need to set him up to succeed. He is doing well this year however, I would like and hope Cortez is still knocking the effects of the injury and rust off as Id rather see him i that spot.

I don’t think it hurts us either when we go into a dime package or the Steelers version of a dime that we now have Will Allen as an extra DB back in there.

I can see the signs of some good things if we keep improving little by little.